UN Secretary-General António Guterres responded on Friday (22nd) to a report from UN-backed agencies confirming "famine in Gaza City for the first time." Guterres described this as a "man-made disaster" and called for an immediate ceasefire, release of detained individuals, and full opening of humanitarian aid corridors to Gaza.
"Just when it seemed there were no more words to describe the 'hell on earth' in Gaza, a new word has emerged: 'famine,'" Guterres stated. "This is not something incomprehensible—this is a man-made disaster, a moral indictment, and a failure of humanity itself."
Guterres emphasized that famine is not just about food—it represents the deliberate collapse of systems that sustain human life. "People are starving. Children are dying. And those responsible for taking action have failed to do so," the statement continued. "As the occupying power, Israel has clear obligations under international law—including the obligation to ensure people have access to food and medical supplies. We cannot allow this situation to continue with impunity."
Guterres concluded by stating, "Stop making excuses. The time for action is not tomorrow, but now. We need an immediate ceasefire, immediate release of all hostages, and full, unimpeded humanitarian assistance."
On Friday, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an agency responsible for monitoring food security, confirmed famine in Gaza City for the first time. The agency raised Gaza's famine level to Phase 5 in its report released that day, representing the most severe level of acute food insecurity. The report stated that Gaza province, including Gaza City and surrounding areas, has confirmed famine, with "catastrophic conditions" expected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September.
Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement later that day denying the occurrence of famine in Gaza City. The statement called the IPC report "false," claiming it relies on "partial, biased data and superficial information" from Hamas.